Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-03-31
CARLISLE ANN ms CRITICS.

-2p-----
she Extreme AInrrsY a. the COastl-
tutiOn Killed By ths Mar.
70, ton Herald,
The flippaut tone with which Mr..
Speaker Oarlisle's speech in Boston is
criticised by the Cincinnati Commercial
Gazette and other papers is the reverse of
encouraging. Mr. Carlisle is one of the
not too abundant number of men in pub
lie life who discuss principles in their
public addresses. His mind is naturally
Of Judicial cast, and, though his parti-
sanship may be positive, it is tempered
not only by spirit of fairness, but by
tendency to justify paItiaanship on higher
grounds than those of expediency or sue
cesj in the contests of the hour. II is no
more than a strictly fair estimate of Mr..
Carlisle to regard his Democracy us based
| upon ideas in government. He may be
wrong in these, and if he is right, his ideal
may not be shared by those with whom he
is in association; but his own purpose is,
nevertheless, plain. He would lift the
tone of political discussion to the plane
| of principle; he has no taste for anything
less worthy Of the statesman than this
He is not manager in politics; he does
not study expediency, or set before him
self the circumVentipg of political oppo-
nents as his leading objective. He is the
statesman as distinguished from the poll
tician, in the popular acceptatioD of the
hitter word. Such man deserves re-
speet at the hands of men Of all parties,
aud il is not too much TO say that MIR.
Carlisle has commanded this from all
who have been associated with him in
public life.
A portion of the Republicans are dis
turbed because, in the discussion Of prin.
ciple, Mr.. Carlisle pleads for strict con.
struction of the constitution. We can but
feel that they err here. A laxity ia con.
stitutional Interpretation is the chief dan.
ger of the day, and it is another proof Of
Mr. Carlisle's capacity that he attaches
importance to that fact. The npprehen
sion from this source has always beer
serious; it was never more so than it is al
present. Men hastily reason that because
the opposite policy Of an undue conct S
sion to the doctrine OF state rights led thu
, netio" into reha'li"r 'he -iisi, g. e.;
iatuve continues 10 be in that &, ii7n
he -dyeIsc Il la fact. This ons e&tte..t
, Of her 10 tie enIs,itntiun-- the ligh
0 OF state sect ssion-was killed by tine war
. 1t is dead and buried beyond posslbl,
resurrection. In the disrepute into which
+ II has come the danger is not of its revival
Y it is rather that there may be too great
/ tendency toward its opposite The mis-
! take is to suppose that the threatenin
. was only in one direction. There are tw
0 extremes TO be avoided. To contract al
s adherence for the one which shall driv
l those possessed by it into resort to th
other is only to change the form @
danger.
@ II is fact that the philosophical writer
g upon our form of government, historian
4 aud others who have surveyed it in til
( light of the worlds experience al
! weighed il in the scales OF reason, hay
. bsen moro apprehensiye of risk to if
, perpetuity from strongly consolidate
system of policy, with large centri
powers, than from any other sourci
' This has not been the opinion Of me
II who are politicians, it il to be remeu
/, bered, but of observers who stand aloe
It from tho parties and the prejudices {
4 the period. They hold that the dang,
' is in the increase of power, through Ia
d. construction Of the constitution, on IL
X part Of the general government It
this against which Mr.. Carlisle warns
ii is this which is engaging the attention
Il more thoughtful men generally. Thei
!. are Republicans who share strongly
Is such feeling, though they have, as u
1t but little weight with their party. The
4 realize that the surplus in the nation
n treasury is constant temptation to il
ID creasing the power of the general COVER
is ment. While it exists, and while Il
r. Republican party continues 10 be as rec
" less MS it is in methods for spending i
there can be no topic more important fl
W the statesman's consideration than Il
Sc tendency to Capitalization which is thl
il, encouraged and inoreased.